limiting factor
Americannoun
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Physiology. the slowest, therefore rate-limiting, step in a process or reaction involving several steps.
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Biology. an environmental factor that tends to limit population size.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The limiting factor is the cost cap - all teams are restricted to spending no more than $215m on racing and development this season.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“The limiting factor for expansion is really rigorous validation, making sure things are completely safe,” Musk said on a call with investors in April.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
As AI’s computing needs get bigger, power density has become a limiting factor, Analog said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
However, the new findings clearly show that oxygen diffusion within flight muscle tracheoles is not the limiting factor.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 25, 2026
That's really the limiting factor to life support.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
